CNN Mainsail – October 2013

The build up to the 34th America’s Cup has seen huge criticism of the event, from the massive (even by America’s Cup standards) budgets required to build the extreme boats that were chosen to questions of the safety of the designs. In the build up to the finals British double Olympic medallist Andrew Simpson a crew member on the Swedish team Artemis was killed following a capsize on San Francisco Bay.

Just three teams entered the Challenger Series to decide who would face American billionaire Larry Ellison’s Oracle USA team in the final. It was a series that saw Emirates Team New Zealand win without any real threat. It was far from close and compelling racing. As the America’s Cup finals approached much of the criticism looked justified.

CNN Mainsail has had privileged access to build up to the 34th America’s Cup over the last three years and Shirley Robertson was in San Francisco for the America’s Cup final with exclusive access to the finalists.

The body of opinion was that this would be an event which would deliver high speed action but not be a compelling duel.